Needle-ferrule cannula cover assembly apparatus



T. E. DAVIS June 15, 1965 NEEDLE-FERRULE CANNULA COVER ASSEMBLY APPARATUS Filed May 2'7, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR THOMAS E. DAVIS )Z; w ATTORNEY .Illl

June 15, 1965 1'. DAVIS 3,

NEEDLE-FERRULE CANNULA COVER ASSEMBLY APPARATUS Filed llay 27, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 k v VEN:

THOM E. DA

AT TORN EY United States Patent 3,188,727 NEEDLE-FERRULE CANNULA COVER ASSEMBLY APPARATUS Thomas E. Davis, Newtown Square, Pa., assignor to American Home Products Corporation, New York,

N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 27, 1963, Ser. No. 283,852 Claims. (Cl. 29-208) This invention relates to apparatus for asembling needleferrule units. More particularly this invention relates to automatic assembly apparatus for combining a needleferrule unit with a resilient cannula cover.

In the production of sterile Tubex needle-ferrule units such as is described in US 2,671,449, it is necessary prior to fastening the fluid containing tube to the needle-ferrule unit that the latter be protected from damage during shipping, handling and further assembly. More particularly, it is necessary that the needle point be kept sterile and protected from blunting, bending or other damage.

According to prior practice, needle protection has been provided by manually inserting the needle and nose of the ferrule to which it is attached into a flexible cannula cover. This technique resulted in several undesirable features including improper seating of the needle nose in tip of the cannula cover, improper depth of insertion and exposure of the needle between the upper end of the cannula cover and the tapered shoulder of the ferrule. In addition improper seating of the needle in the cannula oftenresulted in a bent or distorted cannula cover suggesting that the needle contained therein was bent, thereby requiring rejection at the quality control points prior to assembly of the needle-ferrule with other Tubex components. These disadvantages resulted in an undesirably high percentage of rejections of the needle-ferrule cannula cover assemblies as they passed through quality control check points during normal manufacturing procedures.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for assembling cannula cover-needleferrule units.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus that avoids improper seating of a ferrule needle in a cannula cover. I It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus for the semiautomatic assembly of needle-ferrule cannula cover units in a uniform manner without external deformation of the flexible cannula cover.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an assembly apparatus which will insert a needle ferrule into a cannula cover in proper alignment and to the proper depth without distortion of the interior or exterior surface of the cannula cover.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide automatic assembly apparatus which will seat and seal a needle-ferrule in a cannula cover in proper alignment without damage to the needle or ferrule and without distortion of the flexible cannula cover.

These and other objects and advantages are provided according to the present invention which in its broadest aspect comprises a pair of opposed jaws, hinged at the base thereof, each of said jaws having in its inner face a depression adapted to receive and grip in combination with the depression of the opposing jaw inner face a flexible cannula cover when the opposed jaws are in closed relationship. A further feature of the present invention is to provide for the assembly of a plurality of the improved cover'assembly units in a manner that permits semiautomatic or automatic assembly of needle-ferrule units in a flexible cannula cover without distortion of the cannula cover or damage to the needle.

The apparatus of the present invention makes it possible to properly seat and if desired simultaneously seal a needleferrule unit in a flexible cannula cover in substantially perfect alignment in a manner that will meet all inspection standards with respect to the appearance of the needleferrule unit without damage to the needle or the ferrule to which it is attached. The apparatus of the present invention therefore overcomes the high rate of rejection previously faced in quality control checks, during the manufacture and assembly of Tubex needle-ferrule units as occurred when the needle ferrule units were assembled and seated in cannula covers by manual or other conventional means.

Reference now to the drawings and description which follows will provide a better understanding of the apparatus of the present invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross sectional view of one form of apparatus of the present invention which includes an index wheel containing a plurality of the novel assembly jaws of the present invention together with associated equipment adapted to seat and seal a needle-ferrule in a cannula cover.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view of a preassembly loading tube and the assembly jaws taken along the line 2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 2, showing the needle-ferrule unit as placed in a cannula cover prior to seating and sealing.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the lines of 4-4 of FIGURE 1, showing the cannula cover assembly gripped in the locked jaws prior. to seating and sealing.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line of 55 of FIGURE 1 showing the needleferrule unit ready to receive the seal cap.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken horizontally along the line 66 of FIGURE 1 showing the needle-ferrule sealed and seated in the flexible cannula cover.

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view in greater detail taken vertically along the line 77 of FIGURE 5 showing the position of the cannula cover in the cavity formed by the opposing jaw.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 1 showing the release of the assembled needle-ferrule cannula cover.

FIGURE 9 shows an alternate embodiment of one form of cannula cover utilized in assembling needle-ferrule units.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the cannula cover feeding tube loading assembly taken along the line 10 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 11 is a horizontal cross sectional View of the loading assembly camming means taken along the lines 1111 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a cross sectional view in greater detail of the cannula cover release assembly taken along the line 1212 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged view of a seal cap.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 andmore specifically to FIGURE 2, the improved cannula cover assembly apparatus of the present invention is shown. It will be noted that the assembly comprises the opposing jaws 2 and 3 which are formed from metal stock such as iron, steel or the like and are hinged together at the base 4 of jaw 3 by means of hinge pin 5. laws 2 and 3 may also be formed of a suitable plastic or alloy material, provided the construction has sufficient strength to withstand the pressure applied to the jaws during seating and sealing of the needle-ferrule as described hereafter in greater detail. Jaws 2 and 3 may be shaped in any convenient form such as a rectangle, square or other polysided configuration depending on the manner in which they are assembled and slain and surrounding partsof. the body.

used. It is normally contemplated that a :bank or plurality of jaws will be used, operating simultaneously'or serially in the manner shown in FIGURE 1. The peripheral shape ofthe jaws is not critical from the functional point of view for purposes of the present invention. It is essential, however, that the inner faces of the jaws be substantially identical so that together on closing they form a cannula cover receiving cavity. As shown in FIGURE 2, it will be noted that the inner faces of jaws 2 and 3 identified as and 11 respectively are generally smooth surfaced but for the depression or carved out area normallyconstructed of rubber, plastic or other suitable material of a similar nature. It will have sufiicient strength to withstand normal packaging and handling pressures without permitting damage to the needle'contained therein. Cover 36 includes the solid butpenetrable tip 38 which permits the seatingof needle tip 34 therein and provides protection for the needle tip. It willbenoted as shown a in FIGURE 3 that the nose of theneedle-ferrule has been identified as 12 and 12a. The depressions or cavities 12 I and 12a hereinafter occasionally referred to singularlyfor convenience, are shown concave in shapeand generally circular or preferably ellipsoidally shaped. While, not shown, depression 12 can be a V slot or plurality of V slots as well as polysided such that thecavity created on closing of the opposing jaws will be octagonal or other multisided figure in peripheral shape. The receiving cavity formed by 12 and 12a when jaws; and 3 are closed will,

be referred to hereinafter as the cavity.

Depression 12 extends from the upper end or edge 14 of the jaws downwardly toward hinge 5 at the base of the jaws terminating in the curved tip portion 13. 'Depression 12 is of alength sufiieient'to receive the cannula cover 36 in such a maner that. the upper end of cover 36 will protrudeor extend slightly above the upper edge 1421s is shown clearly in FIGURE 4 at 36c. ITheamount by the portion identified at 36a, will generally beabout 5%. and not more than l0% of the length of the cannula cover.

which the. cover extends beyond the upper edge, that is.

Preferably the extended portion of the cover will be less than 5% of the length. The length of thisexten sion taken a with the remaining portion 'of the cover length thereby tion by dowel pins 8 inserted through ends 9 of the spring To provide a smooth exterior surface to the jaws, dowel pins 8 are seated in a recessed cavi-ty'6. While suchcon struction is not essential to the purpose or functioning of the present invention, seating the dowel pins below-the 36. It is in this'manner that the needle-ferrule cannula cover assembly is delivered to loading tu'be'20 prior to seating injaws 2 and 3 at station A as shown in FIGURE ,1. i It will be further noted that the needletip 34 is generally centrally positioned in the cylindrical or tubular interior 39 of cover-36. The latter is used to guide tip 34 of needle 33 into the solid needle receiving tip or end 33 7 It will be noted that the lower end of cannula cover 36 includes a circularraised rim or lip 40. The latter is a residue of the cannula manufacturing process and is not critical or essential for th'e purpose or functioning of the apparatus of the present invention. However, when such rim is present either'singlyor inmultiples thereof such as is suggested in 40:; FIGURE 9, the receiving cavity formed bythe depression 15 in cavity 12 is present so as to snugly receive the cannula cover when the same is placed therein asushown in FIGURE 4. The edge or rim 40'when'present'will also serve the function of maintaining the cannula cover and the needle-ferrule unit in position within the. cavity 12 when a vertical indexing wheel such as shown in FIGURE 1' moves toward the unloading station such as at G at the bottom of theindex wheel 1. f

, Ashas been suggested, one f eature of the present invention is the adaption or more'specifically the combination ofa plurality of the new cannula cover assembly jaws of the present invention into an assembly which'provides multiple seating and sealing of a plurality of the needleferrule cannula cover assemblies. Alternatively, a plurality ofjaws, may be arranged to provide semiautomatic outer surface of the wheel face improves the appearance of the face thereof. While it has been previously suggested that the elongated depression 12 can be formed in i a varietyof shapes, it is essential that the depressions of' opposing jaws be substantially identical in shape and.

position with respectto the jaw width so that on closing a cavity is formed which will provide positioning and gripping of a .cannula cover when placedtherein. As' is shown in FIGURE 7, it isigenerally preferred that the depression be centrally positioned with respect to the jaw width though this is not critical to the functioning of the apparatus aswill be apparent hereafter.-

Referring now 'to FIGURE 3, the cannula covei utilized in providing the protective-cover for the needle and the nose of the needle-ferrule is more-clearly shown. Therein,

is provided as a seat for sealing cap 42 (see FIGURE 13). Needle 3 is hollow and terminates in the sharply beveled point or tip 4. It is, of course of the utmost importance that the beveled tip 34 be-maintained at the maximum degree of sharpness, with no burred or damaged 'edge so that when used for theinjection of fluids into humans,,

or automatic loading in a serial manner. One form of the in its major component of a disc like circular index Wheel 1, which as will be noted is circular at the periphery or outer edge. If desired, the outer edge or periphery may be fashioned to provide amultisidedconfiguration depending on the-numbero-f jaws the wheel isdesigned to carry.

As willbe readily-apparent, it is not necessary for the purposes of the present invention that the indexing means be limited .tothe circular disc likewheel structure shown.

It is essential only that the wheel includes a hub or center portion such. as at 1th) with meansassociated therewith to support the. receivingor assembly jaws. These support means could therefore take the form of Wheel like spokes extending from the hub '10!) radially outward to a peripheral end which terminates in' apair of the receiving aws of a configurationsuch as has been suggested above.

Reterringnow more specifically to index wheel 1, a preferred embodiment of the assembly jaw and wheel structure isshown in which the. inner face of index wheel 1 is constructed to serve' thefunction of, jaw 35 as shown in FIGURE 2. In this construction, the receiving cavity 12 is carved out'of the inner face of the wheelto a size and in the shapepreviously defined, The needle-ferrule cannula cover receiving cavity is then created by the combination of the wheelcavity '12 with the cavity provided by the hinged'jaw 2.1 The latter is fixed'by hinge 5 to a base 4 which is held in position inthe inner face of the index wheel byscrews, :bolts, welding or other suitable means such as is suggested-by 411. It will be noted that index, wheel 1 is circular in shape and that flexible jaws 2' extend radially inward toward'the center toward the a fine line incision is made without unduejdamage tothe,

The resilient orflexible'cannulacover36 is hollow and periphery of the wheel. -Forl convenience, jaws 2 are shaped in the form-of a truncated pie edge. Jaws 2 may also be rectangularlyshaped if so desired thus :giving the wheel a polysided shape rather than the circular shape shown. For convenience of description hereafter, that portion of the wheel opposed jaw 2 will be referred to as a jaw similar to jaw 3 as described above with respect to FIGS. 2 and 4. Similar to the jaws as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 4, jaw 2 is maintained in a closed position under the tension of retaining spring 7 which is held in position by dowel pins 8 inserted in end 9 of the spring 7.

While as shown on index wheel 1, l2 assembly jaws are present, it is to be understood that any number of assembly jaws may be utilized on the index wheel with suitable adjustments for the synchronization and rotation of the wheel through the various stations as is described hereinafter. While a minimum of 3 sets of jaws could be utilized, a minimum of 4 is preferred when a vertical wheel is used to take advantage of gravity load and unload provided when the stations are positioned at 90 intervals. While the index wheel is vertically positioned in FIGURE 1, it is clearly within the scope of the present invention that the index wheel together with associated loading, sealing, seating and unloading components be horizontally positioned. Obvious modifications in the positioning of the seal cap and needle-ferrule loading tubes would be required. These tubes could be designed to terminate in substantially the positions shown. In such an embodiment, the loading reservoir and the seal cap reservoir may be positioned directly over or above the horizontally positioned index wheel.

In addition to the depression carved in the face of the Wheel, such as is shown (12a in FIGURE 12) which together with depression 12 of the hinged opposing jaw 2 form the cannula cover received cavity, a depression 74 is provided in the outer face of jaw 2, the function of which depression is described in detail hereafter.

' Turning now to station A as shown on index wheel 1, it will be noted that a needle-ferrule 30 has been inserted in cavity 12 formed by the opposing jaws in the manner previously described. Ferrule 30 is delivered to the cavity 12 by loading tube 29. To provide proper sequence in loading, a cam pin 50 is positioned on the top edge 14 of jaw 2. Pin 50 rides out and around cam 60 thus opening jaw 2 and moving against the inner camming surface 51a of the horizontal arm of lever 51 whenthe index wheel is advanced by the drive mechanism 87 and 88 in the direction of the arrow as shown, on a timed cycle maintained by timer 84. As can be seen more clearly in FIGURE 10, spring tensioned lever 51 is pivoted at pin 52 and terminates in an end plate 53 through which an adjustable loading pin 54 is positioned. Lever'51 is pivoted so that when contact is made by the horizontal arm inner camming surface 51a of lever 51, with pin 50 on the opening of jaw 2, pin 54 is backed out of hole 56 in tube 20. Tube 20 being loaded with partially assembled needle-ferrule cannula cover assemblies in the manner shown in FIGURE 3 delivers one needleferrule cannula cover assembly to the open cavity formed by the open flexible jaw 2 and index wheel jaw 3. As pin 50 rides past cam 60 and away from 51a, spring 57 acting on lever 51 returns pin 54 to hole 56 thus preventing delivery of the next needle-ferrule cannula cover until the camming cycle is repeated. As shown in FIGURE 7, the cannula cover when seated in the cavity created by the closed jaws, under the tension of spring 7 is tightly gripped by the two faces. It is essential that this gripping andholding action performed on the cover does not in any way distort or distend the interior or outer shape of the cover.

The wheel is then advanced through stations B and C to seating and sealing station D. At this station a needle cap 42 (see FIGURE 13) is delivered from a receiver 62 which is supported by a suitable platform 63, in a properly oriented manner, by a cap loading canal or chute 64. Cap 42 rests in channel 64 as shown in FIGURE 5, properly oriented for seating on shoulder 35 of ferrule 30 under the impact of piston 78. Piston 70 includes the seating end 71 adapted to fit over the shaft 42a of the cap 42 permitting the same to be moved down the exposed end of needle 33 to shoulder 35. Piston 70 actuated by solenoid 72 on a timing cycle impulse controlled by timer 84 and synchronized with the wheel movement moves through the opening in loading colum 64, picks up cap 42 and seats the same on shoulder simultaneously moving the needleferrule horizontally into the seating position more clearly shown in FIGURE 6. In the latter, it will be noted that the needle tip is now seated in the receiving end portion 38 of cover 36. It will be further noted that ferrule nose 32 has been moved into the hollow channel 37 of cover 36 substantially to the shoulder 31 of ferrule 30. It is at this precise point that the importance of the length to which the cavity 12 is constructed with respect to cannula cover length should be considered. As has been noted, a portion of the cannula cover (FIGURE 6) identified by cannula cover 36a extends above the uppe redge 14 of jaw 2 or of the peripheral of the wheel when the latter serves as opposing jaw 3. This small portion of the flexible cannula cover so extending provides a cushion against which ferrule shoulder 31 rests during the seating movement of the needle under the impact and pressure of piston 70 during the seating cycle. This extended portion 36a thereby insures against damage to the nose 32 or tapered shoulder 31 of the ferrule. In addition, it provides a shock absorbing effect again the impact of piston 70 and thus insures ferrule 30 against damage. As has been previously mentioned, a further feature of the present invention directed to minimizing the shock impact of piston 70 in the seating cycle is the fact that the cavity 12 is so shaped to provide a gripping action on the resilient cover 36. This also tends to minimize the piston impact in sealing'and seating. It is important to note also that due to the shape of the cavity, the piston impact does not distort the channel of the cannula cover 36 such that the needle point is improperly or inaccurately seated in tip 38.

At station D, it is essential that the piston impact which seats cap 42 does not simultaneously force open the closed spring held jaw 2. To avoid this possibility, a spring tensioned roller 75 is mounted on shaft 76 supported by plate 77 which pivots on shaft 78 in a manner such that the roller will drop into depression 74 as the wheel advances to station D. To insure that locking roller. 75 provides sufficient pressure to the outer face of the outer jaw to keep the same closed during the sealing and seating movements, means are provided at 79a to adjust the tension of spring 79 which is fastened to a strut or pin 7%. The latter is fastened to any suitable support member such as for example the end of chute 64.

The movement of roller 75 dropping into seat 74 can be used to close a switch (not shown) which actuates the timing and synchronizing circuit that advances the wheel to the next station. While as suggested the movement of locking roller 75 can be used to initiate index wheel advance, it is preferred that the index wheel cycle be preset and controlled by timer 84. If roller 75 is used to actuate the cycle, conduits 80 and 81 are provided to transmit this signal to timer 84 from which a signal is sent to actuate the drive mechanism 88 and piston 87. The synchronizing equipment with piston 87 permits the driving means 88 to advance the wheel to the next station. This is accomplished as shown by shaft 87 which engages step 86 of drive wheel sprocket 85. Quite obviously, other equivalent driving apparatus such as a worm gear, pulley or other similar mechanisms which can be adapted to the control system may be used equally as well to provide rotation of the index Wheel through the cycle described above.

Following the seating of the needle ferrule in the tip of the cannula cover as accomplished at station D, according to the preset cycle the wheel advances, through stations E and F to the unloading station G. It is, of course,

understood that as the index wheel advances through each individual station, loading tube provides anew needleferrule cannula cover partially loaded assemblyto cavity 12 as has been previously described with reference to FIGURE 10. V I On approaching the unloading station at G, pin 54) rides against the fixed angular vertical cam 90 in the manner 1 s, l.. tionedfat the periphery of said jaws in the path of hub rotation to unloadthe needle-ferrule cannula cover from the jawsafte'r seating of the needle,

I 4. An apparatusffo'r assembling a needle-ferrule in a cannula cover which comprises an index wheel hub drive means associated with the hub, to rotate said hub, a plurality of spring tensioned, hinged jaws radially supported more clearly'shown-in,-FIGURE12. As the wheel'advances, pin 50rides along the angularly positioned cam 90 in a manner that forces open jaw 2 against the ten.- sion of spring 7 thus permittingthfe needle-ferrule. cannula cover assembly to drop by gravity from thecavityf 12 to a collector not shown. Immediately after passage of the fixed cam 90, jaw 2 under the tension of spring 7 will close. The wheel is then advanced through suecessive stations in the manner previously described-back to loading station A.

in the plane of said hub :and positioned peripherally around said hub, said jaws adapted to receive, and hold a partially assembledneedle-fe'rrule cannula cover assembly delivered thereto,,a'-needleseating piston positioned at the periphery of at least one of said hinged jaws adapted to seat the needle in the cover held by said jaws,

, and a jaw openinglcam positioned at the periphery of Combining the jaw construction ofthe present inven- I tion in the'manner described in FIGURE 1 and in the suggested embodimentl'describedtherein provides for the semiautomatic seating and capping of the needleferrule units in the cannula cover as desired. It will be noted that the apparatus of the present invention provides said jaws in the path of hubrotation' to unload the needleferrule cannula coverfrom the jaws afterseating.

5. Apparatus for'assembling' aneedl'e ferrule in a can:

I nula :cover whichwpomprises, an index"wheel hub-supported on an axle, power driving means connected to the hub to 'rotatesaid hubon the axle, a plurality of hinged jaws supported in the plane of said hub by support means Y fixed,to'said hub, said hinged jaws being positioned a unique means for seatingthe needle with the desired.

protection to avoid. damage ofthe same; during seating seatingas wa'sthe' normal occurrence in conventional assemblytechniques. Moreover, the needle is seated to a desired depth thereby insuring that the ferrule noseis not exposed. 7 Additionally the needle issealed and seated without damage to the same and with sufficient cushioning effect so that under the influence of the loading piston at the time ofthe tube assembly is attached to the ferrule the gripping action of the assembly apparatus will not in anyway scratch, deform or damage the needle or ferrule.

more particularly the shoulder and nose portion of the V:

.25 and simultaneously overcome .distortion and improper cover assembly'to sjaidjaws on'openingby the cam, means While the present. invention has been described with respect to a specific embodiment thereof, it is to be '40 understood that the. same is merely for the purposes of description and that the same is not to be limited in any way thereby. Theinvention is to be limited only by the I claims appended hereto. j j I V The inventionclaimed is: V

1. An apparatus for assembling aneedle-ferrule in. a cannula, cover which comprises an index wheel hub,

drive means associated'with said hub to rotate'said hub, means associated with said hub to radially support in. a

peripheral manner a pluralitylof hinged jaws, said jaws adapted to, receive and hold a needle-ferrule cannula cover assembly delivered thereto, means at theperiphery of the jaws to seat the needle in the cannula cover, and a jaw opening cam positioned at the periphery of said jaws in the path of hub rotation to unload the needle- 7 ferrule cannula'cover from the jaws after-seating. 2. An apparatus for assembling a needle-ferrule in a cannula cover which comprises'an indexwheel hub, drive means associated with said hub to rotate the same, a plu;

rality of hinged. jaws radially supported by the hub and .7

positioned'peripherally around the hub, said jaws adapted to receive and hold a'needle-ferrule' cannula cover assembly. delivered thereto, means at the periphery of at least oneof said jaws to seat the needle in the cannula 'cover, andia jaw opening cam positioned at the periphery of said jaws in the pathof hub rotation to unload-the needle-ferrule cannula cover from the' jaws after needle seating;

3. An apparatus for assembling a needle-ferruleiin a to close said jaws after receiving the partiallyas'sembled needle-ferrule cannula cover assembly, a needle-ferrule seating pistonposition at, the periphery. of the hinged jaws following the jaw opening cam and, in the path of rotation adapted to seat the needle-ferruleinf the cannula cover when the jaw holding the cannula cover assembly :is advancedv to the seating piston position on rotation. of

the hub, and a jaw opening cam' positioned at the periphery of said jaws in thep'ath of hub rotation to unload the needle-ferrule cannula cover from the jaws after seating. J,

,7 6.1 Apparatus for assembling .a needle-ferrule in a cannula cover which comprisesv a horizontal index .wheel but supported on a vertical 'axle, po,wer driving means connectedtdthe hubto rotate said hub onthejaxle, a

plurality of hinged jaws supportedf'in the plane of 'said hub by support'means fixed to Is'aid hub, said hinged jaws being positioned radially around and equidistant from said hub, said; jaws being adapted 'tofreceive and gripa partially assembled needle-ierrule cannula cover assembly when delivered thereto, a jaw' opening cambar positioned at the periphery of said jaWs inthepath ofhub rotation adapted to ,open said" jaws serially bycont a cting a cam pin set in the peripheral edge of'one of-the jaws of a pair, loading means to deliver a partially assembled needlefer'rule cannulacover assembly" to said jaws on opening by thelcam, means to close said jaws after receiving the partially assembled needle-ferrule cannula cover assembly, a needle-ferrule seating piston positioned at the periphery of the hinged jaws following the jaw openingcam and in the path of rotation adapted to seatthe needle-ferrule in the. cannula cover when .the' jaw holding thecannula cannula cover which comprises an indexwheel hub drive.

means of spring tensioned hinged jaws radially supported in the plane of the hub positioned. peripherally around the hub, said jaws adapted to receive andhold' aneedlee ferrule'cannula cover assembly deliver'ed thereto, means at the periphery of. at least one of said jaws to .seat the needle in the cannula cover, and ajaw opening cam posicover assembly is advanced to the seating-piston positioned on rotation of the hub, and ajaw opening cam positioned atthe periphery of said jaws in the path of hub rotation to iunloadthe needle-ferrule cannula cover from the jaws after seating.

7. Apparatus for assembling a nula cover which. comprises a-horizontal index wheel but supported on a vertical axle, power driving means connected to the hub to rotate said hub {on the axle, a plurality of hinged jaws supported in the plane of said hub ,by 'support means fixed. to'fsaid hub, said' hinged jaws being positioned radially around and equidistant from needle'ferrule in a cane said hub, said jaws being adapted to receive and grip a partially assembled needle-ferrule cannula cover assemrotation adapted to open said jaws serially by contacting a cam pin set in the peripheral edge of one of the jaws of a pair, loading means to deliver a partially assembled needle-ferrule cannula cover assembly to said jaws on opening by the cam, spring means to close said jaws after receiving the partially assembled needle-ferrule cannula assembly, a needle-ferrule seating piston positioned at the periphery of the hinged jaws following the jaw opening cam and in the path of rotation, adapted to seat the needle-ferrule in the cannula cover when the jaw holding the cannula cover assembly is advanced to the seating piston on rotation of the hub, a jaw opening cam positioned in the path of piston, said jaw opening cam positioned to contact the jaw cam pin.

8. Apparatus for assembling a needle-ferrule in a cannula cover which comprises a vertical index wheel hub supported on a horizontal axle, power driving means connected to the hub to rotate said hub on the axle, a timer connected to said power driving means to activate and deactivate the power driving means, a plurality of hinged jaws supported in the plane of said hub by support means fixed to said hub, said hinged jaws being positioned radially around and equidistant from said hub, said jaws being adapted to receive and grip a partially assembled needle-ferrule cannula cover assembly when delivered thereto, a jaw opening cam bar positioned at the periphery of said jaws in the path of hub rotation adapted to open said jaws serially by contacting a cam pin set in the peripheral edge of one of the jaws of a pair, loading means to deliver a partially assembled needleferrule cannula cover assembly to said jaws on opening by the cam, spring means to close said jaws after receiving the partially assembled needle-ferrule cannula cover assembly, a needle-ferrule seating piston positioned at the periphery of the hinged jaws following the jaw opening cam and in the path of rotation, adapted to seat the needle-ferrule in the cannula cover when the jaw holding the cannula cover assembly is advanced to the seating piston on rotation of the hub, a jaw opening cam positioned in the path of piston, said jaw opening cam positioned to contact the jaw cam pin.

9. Apparatus for assembling a needle-ferrule in a cannula cover which comprises a vertical index wheel hub supported on a horizontal axle, power driving means connected to the hub to rotate said hub on the axle, a timer connected to said power driving means to activate and deactivate the power driving means, a plurality of hinged jaws supported in the plane of said hub by support means fixed to :said hub, said hinged jaws being positioned radially around and equidistant from said hub, said jaws being adapted to receive and grip a partially assembled needle-ferrule cannula cover assembly when delivered thereto, a jaw opening cam bar positioned at the periphery of said jaws in the path of hub rotation adapted to open said jaws serially by contacting a cam pin set in the peripheral edge of one of the jaws of a pair, tubular loading means positioned to deliver a partially assembled needle-ferrule cannula cover assembly to said jaws on opening by the cam bar, said cam bar on jaw opening simultaneously releasing the partial assembly from the tubular loading means, spring means to close said jaws after receiving the partial assembly, needle-ferrule seating piston positioned at the periphery of the hinged jaws following the jaw opening cam and in the path of rotation adapted to seat the needle-ferrule in the cannula cover when the jaw holding the cannula cover assembly is advanced to the seating piston position on rotation of the hub, a jaw opening cam positioned in the path of rotation following the seating piston, said jaw opening cam positioned to contact the jaw cam pin.

10. Apparatus for assembling a needle-ferrule in a cannula cover which comprises a vertical index wheel hub supported on a horizontal axle, power driving means connected to the hub to rotate said hub on the axle, a timer connected to said power driving means to activate and deactivate the power driving means, a plurality of hinged jaws supported in the plane of said hub by support means fixed to said hub, said hinged jaws being positioned radially around and equidistant from said hub, said jaws being adapted to receive and grip a partially assembled needleferrule cannula cover assembly when delivered thereto,

r a jaw opening cam bar positioned at the periphery of said jaws in the path of hub rotation adapted to open said jaws serially by contacting a cam pin set in the peripheral edge of one of the jaws of a pair, tubular loading means positioned to deliver a partially assembled needle-ferrule cannula cover assembly to said jaws on opening by the cam bar, said cam bar on jaw opening simultaneously releasing the partial assembly from the tubular loading means, spring means to close said jaws after receiving the partial assembly, means to deliver an oriented seal cap to the seating stroke path of a needle seating and sealing piston, said needle seating sealing piston being positioned in the path of hub rotation following the tubuiar loading means, said piston being activated on a timer signal to seal the seal cap on the needle and to seat the needle in the cannula cover when a jaw containing said assembly is rotated to the position of the piston, a jaw opening cam positioned in the path of rotation following the seating piston, said jaw opening cam adapted to contact the jaw cam pin and force open the jaw to release the assembly held therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,431,279 11/ 47 Remington et al 29-208 2,498,357 2/50 Breisch 29-450 2,749,602 6/56 Bakewell 29208 2,810,249 10/57 Wysocki 53-3l7 2,896,208 7/59 Aldermann et al. l321 2,914,845 12/59 Crites 29450 2,949,665 8/60 Bergsland et al. 29-203 3,110,955 11/63 Hedel 29-203 3,110,956 1 1/ 63 Fischer 29203 WHITMORE A. WILTZ, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS H. EAGER, Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING A NEEDLE-FERRULE IN A CANNULA COVER WHICH COMPRISES AN INDEX WHEEL HUB, DRIVE MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID HUB TO ROTATE SAID HUB, MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID HUB TO RADIALLY SUPPORT IN A PERIPHERAL MANNER A PLURALITY OF HINGED JAWS, SAID JAWS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND HOLD A NEEDLE-FERRULE CANNULA COVER ASSEMBLY DELIVERED THERETO, MEANS AT THE PERIPHERY OF THE JAWS TO SEAT THE NEEDLE IN THE CANNULA COVER, AND A JAW OPENING CAM POSITIONED AT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID JAWS IN THE PATH OF HUB ROTATION TO UNLOAD THE NEEDLEFERRULE CANNULA COVER FROM THE JAWS AFTER SEATING. 